Fast Facts

Notable quote:“I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.”

Donald Trump

November 9, 2016

By Libby Chidlow

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following obituary is a satirical piece about the "birth" of Donald Trump's presidency.

It’s a boy!

The presidency of Donald Trump was reborn Nov. 9, 2016, a 2:31 a.m. with a head full of blond hair and rosy-orange cheeks. Its first words were “Make America Great Again.”

The rebirth came as a complete surprise to one of the parents, America, as its child was given poor chances of survival. Upon entering the hospital, the baby boy was nicknamed America’s Brexit. According to Good Judgment, the company that predicted Brexit, baby Trump had a 30 percent chance of survival. And the individuals that did not expect Brexit to happen gave him 15 percent chance of survival.

There were many obstacles limiting the chance of Trump’s rebirth. To name just a few, the obstructions include sexual-assault allegations; beauty pageant scandals; racial housing discrimination; mafia ties; operating a university without an educational license; tenant intimidation; four bankruptcies in 1991, 1992, 2004 and 2009; employing undocumented Polish workers; alleged marital rape; breaking casino rules by lobbying against an Indian casino and buying LiButti luxury cars; lawsuits by condo buyers; his campaign manager, Lewandowski, arrested for battering a reporter; refusing to pay workers and contractors; plagiarism of course materials in an institute that licensed his name; undocumented models; his foundation breaking IRS rules on “self-dealing;” refusing to pay income tax and publish his tax returns; and last, but not least, the audio recording that tore apart the reputation of himself and Billy Bush.

He survived for 512 days in the womb of the Republican Party by promoting his official platforms that were, as listed on his website, to build a wall and to repeal and reform the current health care system. His rhetoric, in speeches and debates, proposed income tax cuts and deregulation, infrastructure investment and protection for entitlements of the elderly, and anti-globalization policies of trade protectionism and immigration reduction.

The infant presidency plans on being very active during it first 100 days in office. Trump pledged to repeal Obamacare, defund Planned Parenthood, rid schools and military bases of gun-free zones, suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program and finally, but most pressing, appoint a conservative, anti-abortion rights Supreme Court Justice.

A reborn Trump, swaddled in an American Flag stitched with gold, was invited to the White House by current President Barack Obama. He will instruct the newly-elected Trump on the means of survival before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2017.

November 4, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Is the Republican nominee for president making a comeback with less than a week to go until the election? Perhaps.

Another Trump made headlines this week, and it’s Trump’s wife, Melania. In her first speech since the one she gave at the RNC where she was accused of plagiarizing from Michelle Obama’s 2008 DNC speech, Melania outlined what she plans to do if she becomes the first lady.

“Technology has changed our universe. But like anything that is powerful it can have a bad side,” the potential first lady said. “Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough especially to children and to teenagers.”

Many found her statements ironic considering the nature of her husband’s Twitter account. Just last week, The New York Times posted a two-page spread with 6,000 of Trump’s tweets that insulted others.

Melania did not mention her husband’s tweets in her speech.

Her husband’s opponent Hillary Clinton may have secured over 80 newspaper endorsements, but Trump just scored an unofficial one that he’s probably not too thankful for. The Crusader, one of the most prominent newspapers of the Ku Klux Klan, devoted a full spread to defending Trump’s message.

The Trump campaign immediately denounced the endorsement.

“Mr. Trump and the campaign denounces hate in any form,” the statement said. “This publication is repulsive and their views do not represent the tens of millions of Americans who are uniting behind our campaign.”

His son, Eric Trump, wasn’t a fan of the endorsement, either. He told a radio host in Denver exactly what he thought Tuesday.

"Ross, it's disgusting," Trump said. "And by the way, if I said exactly what you said, I'd get killed for it. But I think I'll say it anyway. The guy does deserve a bullet. These aren't good people. These are horrible people."

How will Trump spend the last few days on the campaign trail? Given the nature of his campaign thus far, anything is possible.

October 27, 2016

By Connor Perrett

What is the Republican nominee for president, who is 5.4 points behind in most major polls, doing less than two weeks before the election? Promoting his new hotel in Washington D.C., that’s what.

“Today is a metaphor for what we can accomplish for this country, the same kind of thing,” Trump said at his new hotel that took the place of the historic Old Post Office building; just blocks from the White House, it’s where he hopes to reside come the end of January.

He bragged about the project, which he claimed was under budget and ahead of schedule. According to the Huffington Post, the project was over a year late.

Although the real estate mogul was criticized for taking time from his campaign to perform the ribbon cutting, he shot back by attacking his opponent’s recent attendance at an Adele concert.

“I think it’s so unfair because, you know, Hillary Clinton goes to see an Adele concert last night, and everybody says, ‘Oh, wasn’t that nice, isn’t that wonderful?’” Trump said.

Not a fan of Trump? You’re not the only one. A vandal destroyed his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame early Wednesday with a hammer and a pickax. Not to worry, Mr. Trump. Leon Gubler, CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said the vandal will be prosecuted and the star would be replaced.

What’s next for Trump? Three stops in Ohio, and maybe, if elected, he’ll make changes to health care.

At that debate he refused to provide a definitive answer to that question, telling Wallace he would look at the results but would keep the public in “suspense” in regard to whether he would accept them.

The Republican nominee also reiterated the longstanding claim that he has more respect for women than anyone else. Although the audience was told to remain quiet during the debate, the crowd laughed, according to Mic.

Trump also reiterated his current pro-life stance, saying he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v. Wade. Trump hasn’t always been pro-life, though. In a 1999 interview with the late Tim Russert, Trump said that he was “very pro-choice” when asked about partial-birth abortions.

He also refused to admit that Russia was responsible for the recent WikiLeaks release of stolen emails from the Clinton campaign. The U.S. government has confirmed that Russians were responsible in the leaking of the emails. He was also called a “puppet” for Russian President Vladimir Putin by Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump ended the debate not by telling the public why he should receive their vote but instead why Clinton should not.

“We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama,” he said, “and that’s what you get when you get her.”

What did the public think of Trump’s debate performance? According to a CNN/ORC poll, he lost the debate to Clinton by a margin of 13 points. Nationally, Trump trails Clinton by 6.4 points, according to RealClearPolitics.

October 13, 2016

By Connor Perrett

It has not been an easy week for Republican nominee Donald Trump. On Friday, leaked audio from a 2005 appearance on Access Hollywood showed Trump making lewd comments that can be interpreted as sexual assault.

“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” Trump said in the recording. “And when you’re a star, they let you do it.”

He also detailed an instance where he tried to seduce a married woman by taking her furniture shopping. He told Bush, then host of Access Hollywood, that his power as a celebrity allowed him the opportunity to do anything he wanted.

“Grab them by the p---y,” Trump added.

Reaction to the audio has been swift and negative. His opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, was quick to condemn Trump’s words on twitter.

Members of his own party similarly denounced him and the leaked clip. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, canceled all campaign events with Trump and said he would no longer defend his words or actions, according to the Washington Post.

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, was the first sitting Republican senator to renounce his support for Trump since the candidate’s comments were made public, CNN reported.

"This is not a decision that I have reached lightly, but his pattern of behavior has left me no choice,” Crapo said.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, said she would not be voting for Trump, while Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said it was “impossible” to continue supporting Trump after his recent comments.

Some Republicans even suggested Trump’s running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence should lead the ticket.

The reality TV star released a statement immediately following the leak and justified his statements under the premise of “locker room banter,” a phrase that was repeated when Trump was asked by moderator Anderson Cooper to explain his comments during Sunday night’s second presidential debate.

“No, I didn’t say that at all, I don’t think you understood it at all,” Trump said, denying that his words described sexual assault.

“This was locker room talk,” he reiterated. “I am not proud of it. I apologized to my family and the American people. I am not proud of it. This is locker room talk.”

His comments appear to have hurt him in national polls. According to RealClearPolitics, Trump trails Clinton by 6.2 points but some polls show the gap as much larger. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll gives Clinton a 10 point lead, while a poll from The Atlantic/PRRI has Trump behind by 11.

Trump still plans to “Make America Great Again,” but without support from GOP members like Ryan, it remains to be seen how he will do so. But Trump doesn’t plan to go down without a fight — “the shackles are off,” he tweeted Tuesday.

It is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to.

October 6, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Has Donald Trump paid the federal income tax recently? According to a Saturday report from the New York Times, quite possibly no.

The Times obtained Trump’s 1995 tax records, which showed that he claimed a $916 million loss that year. A loss that big could allow Trump to legally avoid paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years.

In response to the report, Trump threatened to sue the New York Times and tweeted that he was the only candidate who truly knew the tax laws.

I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them. #failing@nytimes

At a rally in Reno, Nevada, Trump bragged to the audience about his ability to properly pronounce “Nevada,” then proceeded to mispronounce it in the process, according to the Washington Post. He was also unfamiliar with nuclear waste storage in the state, an issue key to Nevada voters, according to the same report.

After reportedly not preparing for the first presidential debate, Trump is changing his strategy for his second go against Clinton on Oct. 9. According to The New York Post, Trump held a live mock town hall in New Hampshire with moderator Chris Christie to prepare.

"The American people rendered their verdict. The post-debate polls as I said to you were so great...” Trump said at a Florida rally on Tuesday.

Trump did receive a post-debate bump, going up to 41.4 percent, according to a RealClearPolitics average that factored in third-party candidates former Gov. Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. However, Clinton also received a boost and is still leading Trump by approximately 2 percent, according to the same average.

Trump capitalized on the debate by hosting a “National Call Day” to maximize fundraising from Republican donors who have abstained thus far from contributing to his campaign, according to an article from Politico. As of Tuesday afternoon, the candidate claimed he had raised $13 million.

In the last 24 hrs. we have raised over $13M from online donations and National Call Day, and we’re still going! Thank you America! #MAGA

Trump will next debate Clinton on Oct. 9 at Washington University in St. Louis. The debate will be a town hall format, with questions coming from moderators and audience members.

September 22, 2016

By Connor Perrett

After five years of questioning the legitimacy of President Barack Obama’s birthplace, Republican nominee Donald Trump admitted Friday at a speech in his new Washington, D.C. hotel that Obama was in fact born in the United States.

“President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period,” Trump said. “Now, we all want to get back to making America strong and great again.”

In his speech, which was brief and not open to questions from the press, Trump peddled a new theory — that the “birther” movement was in fact started by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during her unsuccessful 2008 campaign against Obama. These claims are untrue, according to The New York Times.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Trump used $258,000 from his charitable foundation to settle lawsuits pertaining to his for-profit business interests. In response, Trump campaign Communications Director Jason Miller refuted these claims in a statement that attacked the Post’s report.

“In typical Washington Post fashion, they’ve gotten their facts wrong,” Miller said. “It is the Clinton Foundation that is set up to make sure the Clintons personally enrich themselves by selling access and trading political favors. The Trump Foundation has no paid board, no management fees, no rent or overhead, and no family members on its payroll.”

On Wednesday, Trump presented a national stop-and-frisk program when asked how he would prevent violence in black communities. This is not the first time Trump has supported such a program, TIME reports.

Nationally, Trump is trailing Clinton by only 1.2 points, according to RealClearPolitics. But a new poll by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal has Clinton leading by 7 points.

September 14, 2016

By Libby Chidlow

Donald Trump announced Monday that he will soon be releasing important papers for his campaign; and no, they are not his tax returns, but the results of his latest physical.

“I’ll be releasing very, very specific numbers,” Trump said on "Fox and Friends." “The report should be finished this week.”

Although Trump has yet to release his tax returns and physical, he has published a detailed plan that explains how his presidency would be beneficial for working parents. In his plan, Trump calls for six weeks of paid maternity leave and the expansion tax credits that will help pay for child care.

“It’s pro-family, it’s pro-child, it’s pro-worker,” Trump said Tuesday at a rally in Aston, Pennsylvania. “These are the people we have to take care of.”

The plan came as a surprise; many Republicans oppose required paid maternity leave as a new business regulation. Trump points to his daughter Ivanka, an entrepreneur and mother of three, as the main inspiration for his proposal.

Many Democrats, such as Clinton’s Senior Policy Adviser Maya Harris, have criticized Trump’s plan, looking at it with strong disbelief.

“After spending his entire career — and this entire campaign — demeaning women and dismissing the need to support working families, Donald Trump released a regressive and insufficient ‘maternity leave’ policy that is out of touch, half-baked and ignores the way Americans live and work today,” Harris said in a statement.

Trump’s maternity leave would be only that, maternal and not also paternal, which is seen in Clinton’s proposal.

More proposals from all four presidential candidates will soon come to light in the weeks leading up to the election.

September 5, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is attending all three major presidential debates this fall, barring hurricanes or other natural disasters.

“I look forward to the debates. I mean, I think it is an important element of what we're doing. I think you have an obligation to do the debates,” Trump told ABC News.

At first, Trump would not confirm his attendance at the debates. There was speculation due to the candidate’s previous comments alleging that moderators had treated him unfairly. He also contested, according to ABC News, the debate schedule by expressing his concern with the times conflicting with NFL games.

Trump met Wednesday with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico. He spoke Wednesday about the meeting at an event in Phoenix, Arizona.

“This is the first of what I expect will be many, many conversations. And, in a Trump administration we're going to go about creating a new relationship between our two countries, but it's going to be a fair relationship,” Trump said. “We want fairness.”

Trump reiterated the importance of a new border, specifically a wall, between the U.S. and Mexico. He spoke again about his plan to deport every person living in the U.S. illegally. He said that he and Nieto did not discuss payment of Trump’s proposed wall, but Nieto later tweeted that Trump was told Mexico would not be paying for the wall.

Nationally, Trump’s numbers have improved. According to data obtained from RealClearPolitics, Trump is now just four points behind Clinton — that’s up two points from this time last week.

August 29, 2016

By Connor Perrett

It’s been a busy few weeks for Republican nominee Donald Trump.

There have been major changes within the campaign staff. He recently promoted Kellyanne Conway to campaign manager on Aug. 17. Conway joined the campaign July 1 as a senior adviser to now former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to the Washington Post. Stephen Bannon was also promoted to chief executive officer of the Trump campaign.

How does Trump plan to appeal to black voters? By telling them that they have nothing to lose.

"Look at how much African American communities are suffering from Democratic control. To those I say the following: What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump? What do you have to lose?" he asked supporters at a Detroit rally . "You live in your poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed. What the hell do you have to lose?"

And just what, exactly, does Trump plan to do about illegal immigration? According to a report from Business Insider, his campaign is attempting to soften his stance without alienating supporters who support Trump’s past controversial comments about the issue.

On CNN’s State Of the Union, Republican VP nominee Mike Pence told Jake Tapper that Trump’s platform was unchanged but said a deportation force was a “mechanism, not a policy.”

On FOX News Sunday, Conway went further and told host Chris Wallace that Trump’s deportation force may be off the table.

"He hasn't mentioned (the deportation force) since last November or so, except a few of the debates you mentioned...I would really implore the viewers, Chris, and others to look at the contrast between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton,” Conway said.

Are the 2016 candidates healthy? Trump has called Clinton’s health into question over the past few weeks, but is Trump himself medically fit for the presidency? According to his doctor, yes.

“If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency,” Trump’s doctor, Harold Bornstein, wrote in his December 2015 letter.

But the letter has come into question given it’s the only piece of medical information released by the Republican nominee. Bornstein recently said he wrote the letter, which is four paragraphs long, in five minutes while he waited for a limousine, sent by Trump, to arrive.

Support for Trump has continued to fall since his post-convention bump. He stands six points behind Clinton, according to the RealClearPolitics average; however, some polls, like the one from Quinnipiac, has Clinton leading Trump by nearly 10 percentage points.

August 7, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Things aren’t looking as good as they once were for the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll, Clinton leads Trump 50 percent to 42 percent. That’s the largest lead for Clinton in that particular poll since March and is a larger post-convention bump than Trump received after the Republican National Convention.

In that same poll, 74 percent of voters surveyed said they disapproved of Trump’s response to Khizr and Ghazala Khan’s speech at the Democratic National Convention.

After Khan’s speech, Trump shot back against claims that he did not make sacrifices for his country, although he did not name any such sacrifices. He also implied that Ghazala Khan, who stood by her husband while he spoke, did not speak because her religion would not permit it. Trump took to Twitter later in the week to continue to dispute the Khan’s claims.

I was viciously attacked by Mr. Khan at the Democratic Convention. Am I not allowed to respond? Hillary voted for the Iraq war, not me!

But will the voters even get a say in the November election? Maybe not, according to Trump. On numerous occasions, the reality star turned Republican nominee said the general election would likely be “rigged.”

"And I'm telling you, November 8, we'd better be careful, because that election is going to be rigged," Trump said to Fox News’ Sean Hannity. "And I hope the Republicans are watching closely or it's going to be taken away from us."

August 2, 2016

By Libby Chidlow

While the Democratic National Convention concluded, Donald Trump followed with his very own Twitter coverage not only the speech of Khizar Khan but also of the media coverage, specifically by CNN.

CNN will soon be the least trusted name in news if they continue to be the press shop for Hillary Clinton.

Trump has repeatedly said that media have fueled Clinton’s campaign and, ultimately, ended the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders for her benefit.

The Republican nominee’s fury was also directed toward speaker Khizr Khan whose son, a U.S. Army captain and practicing Muslim, died in a 2004 suicide bombing in Iraq. Khan spoke at the DNC, delivering a string of sentences criticizing Trump and promoting unity and peace. He also appeared on “New Day,” a series hosted by CNN, where he continued to express criticism of Trump’s campaign, blaming his anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant rhetoric, the same rhetoric that Khan has said is fueling extremism.

This story is not about Mr. Khan, who is all over the place doing interviews, but rather RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM and the U.S. Get smart!

Trump rebutted Khan, stating his focus was on national security and protecting the nation from “radical Islam.”

Aside from his feud with CNN and the DNC speaker, Trump’s campaign continues onward into Florida where he will be speaking at Daytona and Jacksonville.

July 25, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Presumptive no more … Donald Trump became the Republican party’s official nominee for president Thursday at the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Trump accepted the party’s nomination after an hour and 15 minute long speech, in which he spoke about the many problems facing the U.S. and how his presidency could bring solutions to those problems. According to the Washington Post, Trump’s speech was the longest convention speech in more than 40 years.

Like most things in this election, the convention was anything but typical. Trump’s primary rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, spoke at the convention but refused to endorse the party’s official candidate for president.

Cruz mentioned Trump’s name just once — to congratulate him — but at the end of his speech he told voters to “stand and speak and vote your conscience.” Cruz’s lack of endorsement earned him boos from the convention attendees, according to CNN. Unfazed, Trump said even if Cruz were to endorse him, he would decline the senator’s endorsement.

But the largest controversy at the convention didn’t come from Cruz — it came from Trump’s wife, Melania. Shortly after she delivered her speech, a Twitter user noted a similarity between Melania Trump’s remarks and those of first lady Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

In a statement released the same night, the campaign denied any plagiarism and instead said that Melania’s speech was written using some of her inspirations.

"In writing her beautiful speech, Melania's team of writers took notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking,” the statement said. “Melania’s immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech, which made it such a success.”

But just one day later, the Trump campaign released another statement — this time from Meredith McIver, an in-house staff writer, who took responsibility for the similarities between the two speeches.

“Over the phone (Melania Trump) read me some passages from Mrs. Obama’s speech as examples. I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama’s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chasion I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama.”

McIver offered her resignation to the Trump campaign, but it was not accepted.

Since the convention, the New York businessman has jumped into the lead, according to recent polling data. Trump leads Clinton by 0.2 points, 44.1 points to Clinton’s 43.9 points, according to RealClearPolitics.

Have a question for the Republican nominee? Trump will be hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit Wednesday, July 27, at 7 p.m. on the r/The_Donald subreddit. This is the the same night President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are expected to speak at the Democratic National Convention, according to The Verge.

July 18, 2016

Although he initially planned to make the announcement at a press conference on Friday, Trump chose to postpone that event after the Thursday Bastille Day terrorist attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 dead. After taking to Twitter to announce that the VP unveiling would be postponed, he ended up making the announcement on Friday as scheduled, via his Twitter account.

"He's really got the skills of a highly talented executive," Trump said at the formal announcement on Saturday. "Mike Pence is a man of honor character and honestly. We know that. Hillary Clinton is the embodiment of corruption."

According to The New York Times, Pence is most known for his rigid pro-life stance. In March, Pence signed a controversial law that prohibits women from obtaining an abortion due to an abnormality with the fetus. The law also requires that an aborted fetus be buried or cremated. The Indiana law has been called one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, according to the NYT report.

Additionally, Pence has not been an ally to the LGBT community, according to TIME. In 2006, Pence argued that marriage was between a man and woman, citing a Harvard study.

“Societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family,’ Pence said. In 2016, Pence rejected the Obama administration’s directive that schools should allow transgender students to use the restroom of their gender identity.

And with any campaign, with a new running mate comes a new logo. The logo, which was unveiled in a fundraising image from the Make America Great Again Committee, contained the letters T, for Trump, and P, for Pence, interlocked together. But social media quickly mocked the logo, as many found it sexually suggestive, according to Politico.

The campaign revealed a simpler, new logo just a day later, according to CNN.

July 10, 2016

By Connor Perrett

In what is just one of many bizarre events in this presidential election, Donald Trump seemingly praised former Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein at several campaign events.

While he acknowledged that Hussein was a “bad guy,” Trump still said the late dictator had talent in dealing with terrorists.

"He was a bad guy — really bad guy. But you know what? He did well? He killed terrorists,” Trump said at a July 5 rally in Raleigh, North Carolina. “He did that so good. They didn't read them the rights. They didn't talk. They were terrorists. Over. Today, Iraq is Harvard for terrorism."

There was negative, bipartisan criticism of Trump’s statements, according to CNN.

In addition to his own campaign, rumors continue to circulate about who Trump will choose to serve as his vice president, if elected. And, while he has not confirmed any names, he isn’t ruling out former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

At a rally just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, Trump said the former speaker of the house would have a role in his government; however, he would not say whether he would choose Gingrich as his running mate.

"Newt Gingrich will be a part of this government" - Trump on his rumored potential running mate

But, even if Trump edges out Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in November, would he even serve as president? Not even Trump himself is sure.

“I’ll let you know how I feel about it after it happens,” Trump said when asked if he would serve as commander in chief if elected, according to The New York Times.

See all of The New Political’s live coverage from Trump’s Sharnoville, Ohio event here.

July 4, 2016

By Connor Perrett

It’s no surprise that Donald Trump is using his Twitter account to campaign against opponent Hillary Clinton, but a recent tweet from the presumptive Republican nominee has many shaking their heads.

The tweet, which contained a graphic cluttered with $100 bills, a picture of Clinton and a six-pointed star that read “Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!” was deleted by the candidate after many linked the star to the Star of David and called graphic anti-Semitic.

Trump later tweeted an altered graphic that replaced the star with a circle.

According to CNN, the original graphic originated on an internet forum littered with “anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and neo-Nazi ideology.” But, still, Trump insisted that the graphic had little to do with anti-Semitism and the star was in fact a “Sheriff’s Star” or perhaps a “plain star.”

Dishonest media is trying their absolute best to depict a star in a tweet as the Star of David rather than a Sheriff's Star, or plain star!

Anti-semitic graphics aside, recent tweets by Trump have fueled speculation about who he will choose as his running mate. In three separate tweets sent on Independence Day, Trump praised three different GOP politicians.

Senator Tom Cotton was great on Meet the Press yesterday. Despite a totally one-sided interview by Chuck Todd, the end result was solid!

No matter who he chooses to help him “Make America Great Again,” Trump is expected to announce his choice for VP before the Republican National Convention, which will begin on July 18, according to CBS News.

June 26, 2016

By Connor Perrett

A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Sunday suggests Trump might have a harder time defeating presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in November. The poll gives Clinton a double-digit lead over Trump, 51 to 39 points — the largest lead the former Secretary of State has held over Trump since the campaign began.

But Trump isn’t worried about the gap, at least according to Paul Manafort, Trump’s Convention Manager. On NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Manafort told host Chuck Todd it wasn’t possible to compare the money raised by the campaigns, claiming Clinton’s campaign is an “800-person organization,” while Trump’s is an “integrated system” with the Republican National Committee. His comments were in response to a report recently released by the Federal Election Commision that showed a large gap between the funds raised by Clinton and Trump during the month of May.

“We have a candidate who doesn’t need to figure out what’s going on in order to say what he wants to do,” Manafort said. “Our campaign is organized, we’re ready, we’re going to have a good convention and we’re confident that we are not behind the Clinton campaign. They’re muscle-bound, we’re not.”

The presumptive Republican nominee spent two days last week in Scotland to promote his new golf course resort opening in the country. Unfortunately for Trump, the timing of the opening was less than ideal. Trump was unexpectedly bombarded with foreign policy questions following the country-wide referendum in which voters in the United Kingdom chose to exit the European Union.

“What I like is that I love to see people take their country back. And that's really what's happening in the United States,” Trump said at a news conference at his new golf course.

Trump’s comments were not exactly correct given his location. While in Britain, 52 perecent of voters chose to leave the EU, 62 percent of voters in Scotland voted to remain, according to ABC News.

After flying across Scotland to another one of his resorts, Trump told one reporter the following day that a mass deportation of immigrants was not part of his foreign policy plan and said his proposed Muslim ban would only apply to Muslims from “terror states.” Neither Trump nor a spokesperson for the campaign was able to clarify what exactly that meant, according to The Washington Post.

June 20, 2016

By Connor Perrett

“Money money money money, money (x6). Some people got to have it. Some people really need it.”

These are the lyrics to “For the Love of Money,” a song by The O’Jays made famous as the theme song to Donald Trump’s hit reality show, “The Apprentice.” And if he plans to beat presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton come November, Trump has got to have some money.

In response to a major purchase of television ads by the Clinton campaign, the Trump campaign sent an “emergency” email to supporters with a goal of raising $100,000 to get some of Trump’s ads on air, according to CNN.

"Crooked Hillary is about to invade your TV with ads attacking Mr. Trump. But we're preparing to fight back," the email from the Trump campaign said.

The call to action from the Trump campaign is part of a larger issue with fundraising. In May, the Trump campaign raised just $3.2 million, while the Clinton campaign raised more than $28 million. Trump’s campaign started the month of June with $1.3 million cash on-hand; in contrast, the Clinton campaign started the same month with $42 million cash on-hand. That’s a difference of $40.7 million in available funds between the two front-runners.

In what is a major shake-up to the leadership within the Trump for President campaign, Trump said “you’re fired” to campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday morning. In a meeting that included Trump’s two adult children, Lewandowski was reportedly questioned for his lack of plan going forward and was ultimately let go by the campaign, NY Mag reports.

The split was amicable, though, according to Lewandowski. While he claimed to be unsure why he was let go, he told CNN’s Dana Bash there were no hard feelings.

"What I know is that what we've been able to achieve in this election cycle was historic," Lewandowski said. "I had a nice conversation with Mr. Trump and I said to him, 'It's been an honor and a privilege to be a part of this,' and I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

RealClearPolitics polling data from the first half of June shows Clinton with a 6-point lead over Trump going into the general election. If Trump wants to move into the residence where the Obama family currently resides, he will need more cash and a new campaign manager to close the gap between himself and the former Secretary of State.

Clinton’s tweet — which was retweeted more than 468,000 times — was in response to Trump’s criticism of President Barack Obama’s endorsement of Clinton. Trump, unfazed by Clinton’s request, continued to use his Twitter account to give the American electorate some insight into the mind of Donald J. Trump.

Although many people (including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan) have called some of Trump’s recent comments racist, Trump took to Twitter to disagree. In fact, if he is to be believed, he might just be the “least racist person there is.”

Mitt Romney had his chance to beat a failed president but he choked like a dog. Now he calls me racist-but I am least racist person there is

But just 12 hours later, Trump once more turned to the social media platform to attack Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, referring to the senator as “Pocahontas,” and claimed she only “pretended” to be Native American. Warren is the racist, according to Trump.

Goofy Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, pretended to be a Native American in order to advance her career. Very racist!

That wasn’t all for Trump’s Twitter saga this week. He told followers early Sunday he was appreciative of those who congratulated him for “being right” about “radical Islamic terror.” His tweet came after a mass-casualty shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, during which 50 were killed and at least 53 others were wounded, according to CNN. The shooter, who was Muslim, reportedly had ties to ISIS and called authorities before his attack to pledge allegiance to the terrorist group.

Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!

Throughout the day, Trump continued to attack leaders, like Obama, for not doing enough to fight “Islamic terrorism.” He called current leadership “weak and ineffective” and repeated his call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. However, the Florida man who wreaked havoc on the nightclub was born in the U.S. and would not have applied under Trump’s hypothetical ban, even if the ban were “just a suggestion,” as Trump later claimed.

June 6, 2016

By Connor Perrett

At least one person will cast a ballot in favor of Donald Trump in November — Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. In an op-ed for The Gazette, Ryan’s hometown paper, the Republican from Wisconsin endorsed Trump after months of declining to do so.

“We’ve talked about the common ground this agenda can represent. We’ve discussed how the House can be a driver of policy ideas,” Ryan said. “We’ve talked about how important these reforms are to saving our country. And we’ve talked about how, by focusing on issues that unite Republicans, we can work together to heal the fissures developed through the primary.”

Additionally, Trump fired back Friday against those who called comments he made about the judge overseeing the ongoing Trump University lawsuit racist.

"He's proud of his heritage. I respect him for that," Trump said to CNN’s Jake Tapper. "He's a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico."

On May 31, Trump implied that because he believed U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel to be Mexican, he was unfairly biased in arbitrating the cause brought against Trump University. Curiel is from Indiana, according to an NPR report.

Trump called for Curiel to recuse himself from the case.

Tensions also escalated between California Trump supporters and protesters on Friday. This time, the violence was instigated by Trump protesters outside his rally at the San Jose Convention Center. In what was one of several instances of violences, Trump protesters trapped a Trump supporter and began to punch him in the face, according to CNN.

The presumptive Republican nominee for president blamed these attacks on “thugs” and “illegals.”

May 30, 2016

By Connor Perrett

California has become increasingly drier since 2011, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, but Donald Trump doesn’t seem to buy it. At a speech Friday in Fresno, California, Trump questioned the existence of the California drought.

“We’re going to solve your water problem,” Trump said. “You have a water problem that is so insane. It is so ridiculous where they’re taking the water and shoving it out to sea.”

Not to be outdone by Mother Nature, Trump has a plan to make California’s water great again.

“If I win, believe me, we’re going to start opening up the water so that you can have your farmers survive," Trump assured supporters in Fresno.

Thirty-five people were arrested after a Trump rally in San Diego, California, according to Reuters. Over 1,000 people showed up to protest the candidate, many of whom were protesting Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric used by the candidate to fuel his campaign. San Diego shares a border with Mexico and sees almost 300,000 people cross the border legally each day, Reuters reports.

During an appearance Thursday on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” Trump said that he was willing to participate in a debate against Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, but it appears the former star of NBC’s “The Apprentice” has reconsidered. After Sanders encouraged the debate and said multiple networks had offered to host the debate and donate a significant portion of profit to charity per Trump’s request, Trump said he would not debate Sanders after all.

“Based on the fact that the Democratic nominating process is totally rigged and Crooked Hillary Clinton and Deborah Wasserman Schultz will not allow Bernie Sanders to win, and now that I am the presumptive Republican nominee, it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher,” Trump said in a statement.

Although he’s been the presumptive GOP nominee for weeks, Trump finally reached the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination after his win in North Dakota. There’s still quite a bit of time before voters head to their polling places this November, but it’s almost certain one of the names printed on the ballot will be that of Donald J. Trump.

May 22, 2016

By Connor Perrett

President Trump? The prospect of a Trump administration is becoming even more probable if recent polling from The Wall Street Journal/ NBC News is any indication.

According to data released early Sunday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s lead over Trump is narrowing. Clinton leads Trump by only three percentage points — 46 percent to 43 percent, respectively. This is the first time Clinton’s lead has dropped below 50 percent in that particular poll.

The former reality TV star is a big fan of the Second Amendment. He gave a speech Friday at the National Rifle Association’s Leadership Forum in Louisville, Kentucky.. In the speech, he promised to be a champion for the rights of gun-loving Americans and attacked his likely opponent for her gun policies.

"The Second Amendment is under threat like never before," Trump said. "Crooked Hillary Clinton is the most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment candidate ever to run for office."

Trump also said he would eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases on his first day in office.

"The Second Amendment is on the ballot in November," he added. "The only way to save our Second Amendment is to vote for a person that you all know named Donald Trump."

But has Trump always been in favor of looser gun regulations? In 2012, following the death of 20 school children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Trump praised President Obama’s speech about the tragedy, in which the president said policy changes were necessary to prevent similar tragedies.

President Obama spoke for me and every American in his remarks in #Newtown Connecticut.

The NRA’s endorsement is important for Trump as it signifies a greater unity between the outspoken candidate and the establishment that is the Grand Old Party, which could help the candidate win the support of more moderate Republicans in the general election come November.

May 16, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Are revolutionary war tensions rising again? Probably not. But if presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump gets the opportunity to relocate from the Trump Tower in Manhattan to the White House in Washington this fall, the country’s relations with the United Kingdom may once more be strained.

After London’s newly-elected Muslim mayor, Sadiq Kahn, criticised Trump and his proposal to bar Muslims from entering the United States, Trump called the mayor’s statements “very rude.” But his issues go further than Kahn, and he implied he would not have a good relationship with U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, who too has criticized Trump’s potential ban on Muslims.

"It looks like we're not going to have a very good relationship,” Trump said on ITV’s “Good Morning Britain.” “Who knows, I hope to have a good relationship with him but it sounds like he's not willing to address the problem either."

Although Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has yet to endorse Trump, nine of 20 House chairmen do not share in Ryan’s hesitancy. According to a statement released by the Trump campaign, Rep. Steve Chabot, Rep. Michael Conaway, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Rep. Candice Miller, Rep. Jeff Miller, Rep. Tom Price, Rep. Pete Sessions, Rep. Bill Shuster, and Rep. Lamar Smith have all endorsed Trump’s candidacy.

The Washington Post reports that endorsements from Hensarling and Price are most notable because they are known to be close allies of Ryan when it comes to important House decisions.

The nine endorsements came just one day after Ryan and Trump released a joint statement, promising to unite the party against a possible Hillary Clinton administration. To reiterate, Ryan did not use this opportunity to endorse the orange-haired business executive turned politician.

According to Real Clear Politics, “The Donald” currently holds 1,134 delegates, just 103 away from the magic number — 1,237 — needed to secure his spot as the official GOP nominee.

May 8, 2016

By Kat Tenbarge

Thanks to Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich ending their campaigns this past week, Donald Trump now stands as the uncontested Republican nominee. With 1,068 of the 1,237 delegates needed to win, the highly controversial candidate faces a clear path to the GOP finish line.

Meanwhile, trouble is brewing within the Republican Party as a rift grows between its highest office-holder, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and Trump himself. Ryan announced Thursday that he is not yet ready to support the presumptive nominee, which Trump rebuked by stating that he may attempt to remove Ryan from his position if elected president.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has previously voiced her support for Trump, said in a recent interview that she will work alongside Trump to remove Ryan from his current position.

“I think Paul Ryan is soon to be ‘Cantored,’ as in Eric Cantor,” Palin said. (Eric Cantor was the former House Majority Leader until a 2014 upset.) Palin said she believes Ryan has “disrespected the will of the people” by not backing Trump.

This dispute followed four of the past five Republican nominees saying they will be absent from the RNC — former presidents George Bush and George W. Bush, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Gov. Mitt Romney all have no desire to see Trump be formally nominated. These decisive stances indicate a political chasm within the GOP that Trump has made no effort to undo.

He has even gone so far as to accuse former primary competitors former Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, of breaking their signed promise to support the eventual Republican nominee.

“Jeb Bush isn’t an honorable person. Lindsey Graham isn’t an honorable person,” Trump said during a rally in Spokane, Washington. Trump then suggested his incendiary statements are in response to a lack of support from Bush and Graham.

Additionally, Trump said his initiative to cut taxes may actually include rising tax rates for the upper-income households if needed to win reduced rates for middle class families, and that his ambitious plan for across-the-board cuts may serve as a starting point for negotiations with Congress.

May 3, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Donald Trump is no stranger to controversial comments, but comments he made at a rally Sunday are getting him in trouble with sexual-assault advocates.

“We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country, and that’s what they’re doing,” he said. “It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world.”

Trump was talking about the trade deficit between the United States and China, but advocates for victims of sexual assault say the comments “trivializes the experience of survivors,” according to HuffPost Politics.

The New York businessman turned politician jumped at the opportunity to once again criticize Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Sunday after his wife misspoke, calling Cruz an “immigrant.”

"I assume she's saying he's an immigrant from Canada. Because, you know, he lived in Canada for the first four years of his life. Not an immigrant, like I think she's referring to," Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera.

There are rumors circulating about who Trump will choose as his pick for vice president after Cruz named former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina as his running mate. According to Bustle, possible running mates like South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker have all publicly refused to be Trump’s VP pick. Among the short list of possibilites are Ben Carson and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who hasn’t held elected office in 17 years, Bustle reports.

According to Real Clear Politics, Trump has 996 of the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the GOP nomination. Fresh off of his wins in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Connecticut, Trump now looks toward the May 3 primary in Indiana where he currently has a 9.3 point lead over Cruz according to Real Clear Politics.

April 19, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Is Donald Trump making amends with FOX News host Megyn Kelly? It appears so. The two met Wednesday morning at Trump Tower in New York City.

"We met for about an hour, just the two of us, and had a chance to clear the air," Kelly said on “The Kelly File.” "Mr. Trump and I discussed the possibility of an interview, and I hope we will have news to announce on that soon."

He also added a new member to his campaign staff -- Rick Wiley -- the former manager of Scott Walker’s campaign, according to Politico. The hire comes during a power struggle within the campaign between Trump’s old campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and his current manager, Paul Manafort, who was hired at the end of March.

Lewandowski was charged with battery after allegedly grabbing an arm of a reporter at a Trump event March 8, but the misdemeanor charge has been dropped, according to a statement by the Trump campaign.

April 13, 2016

By Connor Perrett

In an interview with USA Today on Tuesday, the GOP front-runner gave names of potential vice presidents if he were to receive the party’s nomination.

“I do like Marco. I do like (John) Kasich. … I like (Scott) Walker actually in a lot of ways,” Trump admitted after previously criticizing all three potential running mates. “I hit him very hard. ... But I’ve always liked him. There are people I like, but I don’t think they like me because I have hit them hard.”

There’s controversy surrounding Trump’s claims of his charitable donations. According to a report by the Washington Post, out of 4,844 charitable donations released by the Trump campaign, none of the donations were made by Trump himself.

Many of the donations, according to the Washington Post’s article, were free rounds of golf given away by his own golf courses. A large amount of donations are made under the Donald J. Trump Foundation’s name, but the presidential candidate had not supplied any of his own money to that organization from 2009 to 2014.

Although they’re on opposite sides of politics, Trump briefly compared his issues in achieving the needed delegate count to secure the nomination in a speech Sunday to the troubles of Sen. Bernie Sanders.

"Take a look at what's happening to Bernie. He wins, he wins, he wins, he wins, and I hear he doesn't have a chance," Trump said. "This is a crooked system, folks."

Trump also agreed with Sanders’ earlier claims that Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton might not be qualified to serve as president. Sanders has since said Clinton is qualified for the position, but reiterated his belief that she’s the wrong candidate for the job.

"Bernie's saying she shouldn't be able to be in that position, because she's made so many bad decisions — she shouldn't even be able to be running for the position," Trump said. “And she has made bad, bad decisions. I look so forward to going after Hillary."

While Trump has often attacked Clinton, he hasn’t always had such a volatile relationship with the former secretary of state. The billionaire from New York sent the Clinton family holiday cards from 1999 to 2005, according to documents released by the Clinton Presidential Library.

Trump continues to keep the lead over his Republican rivals. According to Real Clear Politics, Trump has a 6.7 lead over current runner-up, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. He leads over third place candidate Ohio Gov. John Kasich by 18.5 points.

After his recent loss to Cruz in Wisconsin, the candidate now looks toward his home state, New York, where the next Republican primary will be held April 19. But he might not be too worried, because he has a 34.4 point lead over Cruz in the state according to recent polling.

April 4, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump called Sunday for rival Ohio Gov. John Kasich to resign, stating that the governor had no chance of winning the delegates needed to secure the nomination.

Kasich has only won one state — Ohio — since the beginning of the primaries last year. Trump said he told R.N.C. officials that allowing Kasich to continue his campaign is unfair to Trump.

“He doesn’t have to run and take my votes,” Trump said, according to the New York Times.

Trump also did something out of the ordinary Sunday. He (almost) apologized. In response to the unflattering photo Trump tweeted of Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi, Trump agreed the tweet was not his best move on an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

"If I had it to do again, I probably wouldn't have sent it,” Trump said. “I didn't think it was particularly bad, but I probably wouldn't have sent it.”

Additionally, Trump acknowledged his comments earlier in the week about women receiving punishment for obtaining an illegal abortion were regrettable.

"Yes. I would have rather answered it in a different manner," Trump said when asked about his initial comments.

In an interview with The Washington Post on Saturday, Trump predicted a “massive recession” and said that it is an unfavorable time to invest in the stock market. According to the Post, he’s been wrong about such predictions in the past.

March 31, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Donald Trump rescinded his pledge to support whomever receives the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, about six months after Trump met with RNC chairman Reince Priebus in September 2015 and signed a contract stating he would support the nominee if it weren’t him.

But Trump told CNN’s Anderson Cooper he felt treated unfairly by the “Republican party establishment” and would no longer promise to support the nominee.

Within three hours Wednesday, the New York billionaire altered his stance on abortion three times, according to CNN. First, in an MSNBC interview with Chris Matthews, Trump stated women who obtain an illegal abortion — if it were to become illegal — would be subject to some sort of “punishment.” Trump said this punishment should apply only to the woman and not the man.

But later in the day, in response to extreme bipartisan backlash, Trump released a statement with a different sentiment.

“This issue is unclear and should be put back into the states for determination,” the statement from Trump said. “Like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions, which I have outlined numerous times."

And, once more, Trump changed his tune completely from his first statement, releasing another statement before 5 p.m.

“If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman,” Trump said in the statement.

Nationally, Trump still polls in first place among the Republican candidates still in the race with 43.6 percent. Ted Cruz is in second with 31.7 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.

March 28, 2016

By Connor Perrett

In an effort to ensure he receives the needed delegates to secure the nomination, Trump has enlisted the help of Republican strategist Paul Manafort, according to The New York Times.

Manafort helped manage the GOP convention floor in 1976 for Gerald Ford, and did so again for Ronald Reagan in 1980. He had leading roles in the 1988 and 1966 conventions, the Times said.

On a Wisconsin radio show, Trump refused to apologize for any of his past comments about women, which some have deemed sexist. He argued they should not be taken seriously since he never believed he would run for president.

Trump said Friday in an interview with The New York Times that Japan and South Korea should pay the United States to keep American forces stationed there for protection from North Korea and China. Currently, American troops are stationed there as part of mutual defense treaties. Trump said he is willing to withdraw the military support if the countries aren’t willing to pay up.

A fake tombstone was erected in Central Park over the weekend, but no one knows who created it, according to The Daily Beast. The headstone reads “Make America Hate Again,” and does not list a date of death for Trump, who at press time is still alive and gunning for the oval office.

March 24, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Following the March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels, the outspoken presidential hopeful blamed Muslims in both Britain and the United States for allowing the attacks to happen, claiming they ignore radicals in their own communities, according to ITV.

“They’re protecting each other, but they’re really doing very bad damage — they have to open up to society and report the bad ones,” Trump said on ITV’s “Good Morning Britain.” “When they see trouble, they have to report it. They are absolutely not reporting it, and that’s a big problem.”

Additionally, on NBC’s Today Show, Trump reiterated his belief that techniques such as waterboarding are necessary to get information from terrorists. Trump was referring to Salah Abdeslam, the suspect accused of plotting the November attacks in Paris. Abdeslam was captured just days before the attacks in Brussels occurred.

"Frankly, the waterboarding, if it was up to me, and if we changed the laws or had the laws, waterboarding would be fine,'' Trump said on the NBC morning program. "If they could expand the laws, I would do a lot more than waterboarding. You have to get the information from these people.”

One anti-Trump super PAC launched an ad targeting mormons in Utah with a photo of Trump’s wife, Melania, naked on a bearskin rug, according to London Times reporter Rhys Blakely.

A new poll from Quinnipiac suggests that Trump would not fare well in a general election against Sanders or Clinton if it were conducted today. In the poll, Clinton beats Trump 46 to 40 percent. Sanders wins over Trump with a larger margin, 52 to 38 percent.

March 22, 2016

By Connor Perrett

The Republican frontrunner has continued to hold his grip on the number one spot among his rivals in the GOP.

At an Arizona event for Trump on Saturday, a group of protestors parked their cars sideways on Shea Boulevard, blocking cars from traveling toward the rally. Traffic was backed up for miles, according to CNN.

Trump will take the stage Monday at the American Israel Public Action committee, hoping to secure votes from the Jewish community. Trump is working to reassure Jewish voters who might believe that his anti-Muslim rhetoric is reminiscent to rhetoric once used against them, according to The New York Times. A group of rabbis said they would walk out of Trump’s Monday speech in protest.

Although Trump leads his opponents in the number of delegates, the chance for a brokered GOP convention is not out of the question, RNC chairman Reince Priebus said. He also said it is not out of the question that the GOP would run a candidate not currently on the ballot, according to NY Daily News.

March 14, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Trump has consistently clashed with protesters at his rallies, but tensions continue to rise between his supporters and those who support his opponents.

In Kansas, Trump called for the arrest of his protesters and blamed Bernie Sanders and his supporters for the heightened tensions at his events.

His call came a day after a rally in Dayton, Ohio, where a man attempted to jump on to the stage while Trump was speaking. Trump later tweeted a doctored video which claimed that the man had tied to ISIS, but those claims were ultimately untrue. The man, 22-year-old Thomas Dimassimo, was arrested for disorderly conduct and inducing panic.

Trump also said he was considering paying the legal fees of a man who punched a protester at an event last week in North Carolina.

“The man got carried away,” Trump said on NBC’s Meet The Press. “He obviously loves his country, and maybe he doesn’t like seeing what’s happening to the country.”

Trump canceled his rally Friday in Chicago citing security concerns, but according to a Chicago Police Department spokesperson, they never notified Trump of any threat. In response to the cancellation, several quarrels broke out between supporters of Trump and those protesting his candidacy.

However, Trump was not as fortunate at the March 5 primaries, winning only Kentucky and Louisiana. He came in second to Ted Cruz in the Kansas and Maine primaries.

Prior to those primaries, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney gave a scathing speech against Trump, his business practices, his rhetoric and his qualifications for the Oval Office. Romney accepted Trump’s endorsement in the 2012 election, but he said he would not have accepted it knowing what he knows now.

At the Republican debate held on March 4, Trump shot back at opponent Marco Rubio who claimed that Trump had “small hands” in response to Trump calling him “little Marco.” Trump assured the American public that not only were his hands an appropriate size, but that his ehem — penis — was also of notable size.

"Look at those hands, are they small hands?" Trump asked, showing them to those tuned in to the CNN debate. "And, he referred to my hands — 'If they're small, something else must be small.' I guarantee you there's no problem. I guarantee."

Currently, Trump has 384 delegates, 84 more than Cruz, his closest rival, according to Real Clear Politics. Trump needs 1,237 total delegates to secure the GOP nomination.

February 26, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Trump won big in the South Carolina primary, coming in first with 32.5 percent of votes, winning all 50 of the state’s Republican delegates, according to The New York Times.

Since his win, Trump has had no shortage of skirmishes. He called for an outright boycott on all Apple products due to Apple’s refusal to provide the FBI with a backdoor entry into its iOS products. He has been criticised for sending tweets from his twitter account via an iPhone since he called for the boycott.

Boycott all Apple products until such time as Apple gives cellphone info to authorities regarding radical Islamic terrorist couple from Cal

Trump is also feuding with the Ricketts family, owners of the Chicago Cubs, telling them to “be careful.” The comments are in response to reports that Marlene Ricketts donated $3 million to an anti-Trump super PAC.

There’s controversy over leaked audio from an off-air conversation between MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski and Donald Trump. Critics have said the audio reveals that the MSNBC hosts are too jovial with Trump. MSNBC has declined to comment on the leaked recording.

February 17, 2016

By Connor Perrett

Much has happened to outspoken Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump since he came in second place in Iowa at the beginning of the month. At the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9, Trump came in first place with 35 percent of the votes.

At the Republican debate on CBS, Trump attacked rival Ted Cruz after he confronted Trump about his changing stance on abortion. In response, Trump claimed Cruz attempted to sabotage his campaign by sending out a robocall that Trump would not be running in South Carolina, where the Saturday night debate was held.

“You are the single biggest liar,” Trump said to Cruz. “You’re probably are worse than Jeb Bush.”

He continued his attack after the debate on Twitter.

Nasty Ted Cruz is at it again- same dirty tricks he used w/ @RealBenCarson- saying I may not be on ballot & I hold liberal positions. LIES!

As of Feb. 13, Trump had an 8 percent lead over his Republican rivals, according to Real Clear Politics.

UPDATE: February 1, 2016 at 12 a.m.

Iowa Caucus result: Second place, polling at 24.3 percent

February 1, 2016

By Charles Greenlee

Donald Trump is still in the top spot for the GOP nomination, and according to him, he would stay there even if he shot someone.

Although Trump has not really shot anyone, he has earned the endorsement from one of the GOP’s most notable women.

“Are you ready to make America great again?” Sarah Palin asked during her speech at a Donald Trump rally in Ames, Iowa, where she formally endorsed Trump.

Trump was also endorsed by evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, which is a renowned Christian school. This endorsement comes even after Trump botched the pronunciation of a Bible verse.

Trump pulled of out the Fox News debate that took place on Thursday because he refused to debate with Megyn Kelly as a moderator, whom he called a “lightweight.” Trump issued the following statement in regard to why he dropped out, saying that he “knows a bad deal when he sees one. His full statement can be read here.

Despite the formal statement, Trump resorted to Twitter to decide whether he should take part in the debate. Fifty-six percent of the votes were in favor of Trump partaking in the debate. Trump has yet to formally address the Twitter poll.

November 19, 2015

Whether he’s tweeting or ostracizing Rand Paul, most Americans know who Donald Trump is, and he is certainly doing his best to let America know he’s going to “make America great again.”

Trump was a household name in America long before he decided to give the White House a run. Reality TV fans probably heard him telling people “You’re fired!” on his TV show, “The Apprentice.” Those who aren’t familiar with “The Apprentice” have probably heard of him from his multibillion dollar real estate company, The Trump Organization.

One of his largest points for his campaign is his plan on how to deal with undocumented immigrants.

“They’re bringing crime, they’re bringing rapists,” Trump said about undocumented Mexican immigrants during his campaign announcement, a comment that received much backlash.

Trump developed a five-point plan for immigration, which includes hiring 25,000 more border patrolmen and building a fence all across the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

Trump has also been criticized for many of his comments about women.

Currently, he has an ongoing skirmish with actress Rosie O’Donnell, who took a few shots at Trump on T.V. talk show “The View.”

“Rosie is a very unattractive woman, both inside and out. And as hard as it is to believe, inside is probably uglier than outside, and that's really saying something,” he responded.

But his comments about women go back even farther to his time with “The Apprentice.”

“All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me - consciously or unconsciously. That's to be expected,” he said.

Trump differs from many of his fellow Republican candidates on one notable issue: universal health care. He supports universal health care, but he still said he believes the 2010 universal health care law spearheaded by President Obama is a disaster.

“Obamacare is a catastrophe that needs to be repealed and replaced,” Trump said.

While he is not an experienced politician, Trump has led the powerful multibillion dollar real estate company he inherited from his father. The luxury apartments stretch all the way from New York City to Istanbul. Trump affiliated businesses have filed for bankruptcy four times since 1991. Although, he argued at the third Republican primary debate that this is common practice in the business world, saying "virtually every person that you read about on the front page of the business sections, they've used the [bankruptcy] law."